5 Things to Know for Monday

Leah Barkoukis | August 15, 2022 9:15 AM

1. Monday marks the one-year anniversary of the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan to the Taliban, leading to the disastrous U.S. withdrawal. Republican lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee will publish a report this week that “sheds light on the catastrophic flaws of Biden’s Afghanistan disaster.” Townhall columnists Kurt Schlicter explains how Afghanistan opened Americans’ eyes to the “systemic failure of our ruling class.”

2. An Iranian official has denied involvement in the attack on author Salman Rushdie though blamed the author and his supporters for what happened.

“Regarding the attack against Salman Rushdie in America, we don’t consider anyone deserving reproach, blame or even condemnation, except for (Rushdie) himself and his supporters,” said Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman of Iran’s Foreign Ministry. “In this regard, no one can blame the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added. “We believe that the insults made and the support he received was an insult against followers of all religions.”

Though taken off a ventilator, Rushdie's long recovery continues. The author will likely lose an eye, his liver is damaged, and nerves in his arm are severed.

“Though his life changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty & defiant sense of humour remains intact,” Rushdie’s son Zafar Rushdie said on Sunday.

3. Actress Anne Heche was “peacefully taken off life support” her spokeswoman said Sunday. She was hospitalized after she crashed her car into a home, suffering “severe anoxic brain injury.” She reportedly had cocaine in her system at the time of the crash.

4. China announced more drills around Taiwan after top leaders on the island met with a U.S. congressional delegation, including Sen. Ed Markey and Reps. John Garamendi, Alan Lowenthal, Don Beyer, and Amata Radewagen. Their unannounced trip comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit earlier this month.

In a joint intelligence bulletin, FBI and DHS said they "have identified multiple articulated threats and calls for the targeted killing of judicial, law enforcement, and government officials associated with the Palm Beach search, including the federal judge who approved the Palm Beach search warrant.”